Sevenoaks Circular 50k

Some of my good running friends choose a BIG ONE for their 100th marathon. It should be a rite of passage. It should be something massive. 100 marathons is actually a pretty big achievement right? Well technically it isn't 100 marathons...more like 26 marathons and 74 ultras.

I was in the mindset of an injured runner. I didn't know how I would or could be. I recounted the day in Kings College Hospital, 2 months after my first epic UK championships at the Ridgeway 86 miler that I broke my leg 3 days previously, confronted by a senior consultant specialist to be told..."you'll never run again" which was a shot through the heart whilst also being a call-to-arms. Delicately I recovered from that. My recovery from PF was not languorous, albeit with intent, although lack of speed ensued. I could not shake this bitch....but I could confine her pain to a deep part of my cerebral cortex and just run on.

So......toeing the start line. My good running buddy RCW at wingman. We ran and ran through the sticky mud of the Kent countryside.  Some choose an ICON for a big milestone. I chose a local race with local people and a run that cuts across from 7 miles from home. Wow. For me that is iconic...(lower case lot LARGE!) Home turf for a big race. I went off with a good clip. probably my limit for the moment. I noted that I finished 20 mins slower than in 2017 but the trail was much wetter and slippier this year and I opted for the Hokas and not the Inov8s. Silly mistake for speed Great idea for injury prevention.

Weald village, CP2. Hard work but lovely. The next 22 miles were harder. From 15 we ran with Malcolm. Last time we ran together was my first PF pain. We had banter. I held on to the coat tails of these boys as I did not have the capacity to go any harder. I didn't care. I wanted to enjoy the run. The feeling of 100 started to sink in after about 20 miles. It only mattered to finish.....

Well then i wanted to finish good. RCW dropped me with 6 to go. I felt like I'd be about 30 mins behind, such was my pallour and demeanour. Comeing into Dunton Green I perked up. It was pretty much 500ft up to the finish, then down, then up, then down, then the long drag up Knowle Park and the final climb to 600ft at the finish. I changed down a gear and went for it. It wasn't pretty. It was painful. It felt good in my head though.

I came within 200m of the finish and I thought I saw Susie carrying Audrey? They ran away. She said she was meeting Denise and Molly in Knowle park and would 'try' to meet me at the finish.

What was I greeted with? Not only the hoi-polloi from my old running club in Dulwich.......Sensational. 16th place. 100th marathon 5.59 and 4000ft of hills for 32 miles. It took about 30 mins and 2 glasses of fizz for the feeling to wash over me like a tile of warmth, relief and a cheeky feeling of .....WHAT'S NEXT????

Thank you to everyone ever who has supported me, met me on the trail and been there for me on training runs, races, finish lines, marshals, RDs and above all, my wife, Audrey and Greta and my parents. 100 marathons. Done